Thankful
by cakelesspixels
Summary: When Minnie and Mickey can't make it to Thanksgiving, Daisy becomes a bit desperate to get Minnie's famous sweet potato pie bar recipe. This is part of the Links in the Daisy Chain series.


"Donald, are you sure about this?"

"Sure, I'm sure!"

Daisy stood in the doorway as she watched Donald prepping the kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner. Donald was well aware that Daisy had always loved Thanksgiving. Knowing how important the meal was, Donald had taken it upon himself to take over the cooking when he was invited to Donna's for Thanksgiving. He knew Daisy's sister wasn't much for cooking and Daisy had been having a stressful time since returning to Duckburg. It was Donald's way of thanking the two women for inviting him to dinner while allowing them to have some time to rest.

"Sí!" Panchito materialized by Donald's side. "Don't worry, Daisy. With me and José here, nothing can go wrong. You just relax and we will worry about the food."

"If you're sure…." Daisy shot a look to José. He was already gathering seasoning to place beside the stove. It wasn't that Daisy doubted Panchito or José's cooking prowess. It was just difficult to let go of a holiday she used to claiming as her own. Her protest was interrupted by the chiming of the doorbell. With a defeated sigh, she exited the kitchen to answer the front door, and left the men alone for their cooking extravaganza.

Daisy had been sure to decorate the house from top to bottom with Thanksgiving décor before the boys had even arrived. April, May, June and Webby had been her assistants in decorating that year. There were plastic pumpkins littered about the house. Some of them had the words "Thanksgiving" etched into them. Homemade candles sculpted into the shape of squash adorned the table alongside a green and orange floral centerpiece. It had been a trick that Webby had shown her that she embraced whole-heartedly. The girl had claimed it was from some television program, but Daisy hadn't been particularly interested in the details. The end result was all she cared about.

Upon opening the front door, Daisy was greeted by the sight of her friend, Holly, standing before her with a container in her hands. When her friend had confessed that she had no plans to see her family on Thanksgiving due to the distance between them, Daisy had taken it upon herself to invite the Golden Sebright hen to join them. Standing beside her was an Adélie penguin. Daisy had invited Holly's friend along when she'd heard that the penguin's family didn't even bother with Thanksgiving. Daisy hadn't wanted anyone to be left out of the festivities.

The penguin's black wavy hair covered the right side of her face, obscuring Daisy's view of her features. It reminded her of a 40s starlet that Daisy had admired in her youth. The penguin didn't keep eye contact long, turning her eyes downward.

"Hello and welcome! Come on in, you two!" Daisy took a step back to let them enter the house. "You must be Barbara, right?"

The penguin nodded.

"Hey, Daze?" Holly shed her coat to place it on the nearby coat hook. "You mind if I take this into the kitchen?"

"Go right ahead."

After Holly exited the room, Barbara and Daisy stood in awkward silence. The penguin was rubbing her arm, nervously. Daisy tried to think of something to say. She barely knew the woman standing in front of her aside from the fact she was a friend of Holly's.

"So. Barbara." Daisy hesitated. "What do you do?"

"I'm in I.T."

Daisy waited for her to continue. When it was clear she wasn't going to say anything else, Daisy prodded further. "You mean those people you call when your computer breaks?"

Barbara nodded. She wasn't standoffish in her responses. It was more like Barbara was afraid of her. She was hunched over, almost as if she were trying to disappear into herself. It was a surprise to Daisy. Television and literature had always taught her that the people who worked those computer jobs were supposed to be nerdy looking, and occasionally they'd forget to bathe. They weren't supposed to be pretty.

Barbara seemed to sense that Daisy was hoping for more information. "At Mortimer Mouse Industries," she added. Mortimer Mouse? Since when did he have his own company? Daisy tried not to frown at that. Daisy had never attended school with Mortimer, but she recalled Mickey and Minnie's stories of his cruel bullying antics. Mickey had to tolerate him when they'd gone off to university before they finally parted ways for good. The idea of Mortimer owning his own company was disheartening. Why did life have a habit of rewarding scumbags?

"What's it like working for him?"

"He doesn't talk to us very much. We appreciate it."

Daisy could understand the sentiment. If she had to work for Mortimer, it would have only been tolerable if he never spoke to her. "Well, I just might have to call you whenever our computer breaks down," she said. "I can't even tell RAM from memory or whatever it is my nieces are always talking about."

"RAM is memory."

"See?" Daisy laughed. "Can I ask you a question? Does my mouse need RAM?"

"What?"

Daisy guided the confused penguin into the living room to continue their discussion.

* * *

><p>Holly poked her head inside the kitchen before she entered. "Sorry to interrupt, but I come bearing gifts."<p>

She held up the container in her hands which was immediately taken from her by Panchito. "Hello, senorita," he greeted. He started to reach for his hat out of habit before realizing he'd already removed it when he'd entered the house. He still gave a slight bow as a greeting. "It is a pleasure to have such a pretty girl interrupt us."

Holly chuckled at the greeting. Donald pushed his way past Panchito. "Are you Holly?" He held a hand out to her for a handshake, which she gladly accepted. In the past, Donald would have been attempting to flirt with her right alongside Panchito. But since Daisy's prolonged absence from Duckburg, he had become far less likely to let his hound dog ways take over. Absence had made his heart grow fonder and less likely to wander.

"That would be me," Holly said. "And you must be Donald. Daisy's told me all about you."

"Same here." Donald tipped his sailor hat to her. "These are my friends, Panchito and José."

Holly gave a friendly wave. José made his way over to the hen with a warm smile. "I'm afraid Daisy did not tell us what lovely friends she keeps."

"Okay, you two, I like," Holly admitted. "I'm a sucker for anyone who likes to tell me how pretty I am."

Donald playfully rolled his eyes. Panchito and José didn't really need to be encouraged. Panchito nudged José out of his way. The three birds may have been friends, but they were never above fighting over the attention of a woman. The only thing that had changed was Donald was out of the running, making it José against Panchito in the bid for attention.

"What's in the box?" Donald was a little more interested in the container. Holly hadn't piqued his interest as much as the food she brought with her did.

"It's just challah chestnut stuffing." Holly rolled up the sleeves to her mint green sweater. "My dad always used to make it when I was growing up. I thought I should bring over something since you guys were nice enough to invite me to dinner. What are you guys cooking in here?"

When Holly tried to sneak a peek at the food, Panchito blocked her. "You wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, would you?" He had his usual smile plastered on his face. "You just go back out there with the girls while we take care of dinner."

Holly laughed. "Alright, alright, I'll wait," she said. It was one of the few times the boys would usher a woman out of the room, but they had to finish dinner. Motivated by the desire to impress, it was easy to hunker down and focus on making the meal they had planned.

Donald had wanted to focus on making a traditional dinner but José and Panchito had their own take on how Thanksgiving dinner should be run. It wasn't a holiday that they celebrated in Mexico or Brazil. Since they had set up shop in America, Donald had taken it upon himself to help them adjust to the local customs and Thanksgiving was one of them. It seemed only natural to invite them to Daisy's. When they had insisted on doing some of the cooking, Donald saw no reason to deny them the opportunity.

"Donald, I will show you how to make sopa de calabaza."

"Sopa de calabaza?" Donald tilted his head slightly. "What's that?"

"It is a pumpkin soup," he said. "Do not worried, Donald, it is a very easy dish to make. When I was a boy, my mother would make it every winter. It is good for warming up the body! And we will make it vegetarian so Webby can enjoy with us."

True to his word, it was a very simple dish to make. Donald and José hung on his every word. As he showed them each step, memories flooded back to the rooster. Panchito's mother, María, had been saddled with the task of raising five boys. Even with his father's help, it was a stressful job. But she managed to keep her sanity as she kept her boys in line. Every winter María would make sopa de calabaza. They would sit around the table together to eat, chat and joke with one another. It didn't sound all that different from Thanksgiving to Donald.

María had always been heartbroken that Panchito was something of a rolling stone. She'd wanted her youngest to keep close to her. He loved his family dearly, but he valued his freedom far too much to give up on it. The lure of the open road had been too irresistible. Unfortunately, the open road did not offer much in the way of stability. In desperate need of money to save up for his dream ranch, Panchito had agreed to work for Scrooge McDuck's newest endeavor, McDuck Adventures, as a tour guide. It was Donald's recommendation to Scrooge that got him the job and it paid well. Despite they decent wage, Panchito already felt like a bird with clipped wings.

"Now we let that cook for about forty minutes. I promise you, it will taste like home."

Donald peered into the pot, curiously. "If you say so."

"American football is very big for Thanksgiving?" Panchito wondered.

Donald nodded. "It's all part of the tradition. We've played football on Thanksgiving since…." Dewey had told him the exact year the tradition had started. He tried to think back to what his brainy nephew had said. "Nineteen twenty!"

"Ótimo!" José exclaimed. "Later we should throw around the football with the children. It will be a proper Thanksgiving celebration. And we will impress the ladies with our skills, no?"

"I don't think Donna will care," Donald said. Donna wasn't the type of woman who responded to overly flirtatious men.

"Maybe not, but what about Holly?" José asked.

"Why didn't you tell us about Daisy's friend coming to dinner?" Panchito wondered.

"I didn't know she'd invited them until after I got here," Donald admitted. Daisy had a habit of springing things on him last minute. There were times her spontaneity was endearing while it could also be. He was glad that they always had more than enough to go around at Thanksgiving so that he didn't need to be warned in advance.

"Them?" José asked.

"Holly and… I don't remember the other one's name." Donald knew Daisy had told him, but he'd already forgotten. "She'd probably be in the living room."

José and Panchito took the opportunity to peek into the living room. They were careful not to be spotted by any of the girls who were comfortably situated on the sofa. Holly wasn't among them, but they could see Daisy speaking with Barbara. After a few seconds, they returned to the kitchen with José speaking up first. "Nossa! Ela é linda! I am beginning to really love this holiday. It will be a good year for us!"

In the past, Donald would have been excited alongside them. After Daisy left town, he almost became a different person. It had put everything in perspective, he realized. Daisy's absence had been a wakeup call. It was time to try getting more serious. He just wasn't sure how that sort of thing was supposed to work. It came so easily to Mickey while Donald struggled with knowing what to do.

"All I care about is making sure Daisy has a good Thanksgiving."

Panchito smiled. "She will," he promised. "We will make sure of that."

"We will make the perfect feast for her," José said. "Daisy will be like putty in your hands. Come, come, I will teach you how to make olhos de sogra, the mother-in-law's eye. It is a very simple Brazilian candy. The children will love it!"

Donald headed over to the counter with José to watch as began to make a coconut mixture. The strong scent of coconut filled the kitchen; it fought for attention from Panchito's soup and the turkey in the oven. Each scent hung in the air and mixed together to create a homey feel.

"My sister used to make this all of the time," José said. "Every Christmas she would send her boys out to deliver them to family."

While José and Donald had been pushed into the same situation, it had been for different reasons. Della had constantly been placing the boys in Donald's care to give herself free time. As much as he loved his sister, she'd always been something of a flighty mother. The boys' father had always been worthless. He'd abandoned the family when the boys were in elementary school. They hadn't heard from him since and Donald wasn't heartbroken over the loss. He only pitied his nephews who had deserved better. Donald had been caring for the boys since they were children. After all these years, he realized that he was more like a father than an uncle to them. It had been part of what kept him from advancing his relationship with Daisy; he'd put all his focus into raising them. His own desires for a family were placed on the backburner.

José's sister, on the other hand, passed away a few months back. Zico and Zeca's father had died years ago. They had been turned over to José for lack of any other kin. José was still awkwardly adjusting to the position of raising children. José hadn't admitted it, but Donald had a sneaking suspicion that it was the boys that prompted him to make the move to the States. He had been visiting Donald more often than before for parenting tips. Donald had been the only person in his life that he could depend on that had any experience.

"The boys will love it," José said. "It will remind them of Aurora."

"I wish I could have met her," Donald said. They had been friends for many years, yet they had never had the chance to meet each other's sisters. Donald knew about Aurora, but they'd never crossed paths.

"You would have loved each other." José gave a wistful sigh. "She was such a beautiful woman. I could have not asked for a better sister."

"How have you and the boys been?" Panchito asked.

José gave a shrug. "We are still adjusting. That's why I am glad you invited us, Donald. They needed a family holiday."

Donald nodded. "The kids are already doing a good job distracting them."

"I noticed the girls already swooning over them," Panchito added. "They are a lot like their Uncle Panchito that way."

José laughed. "I am afraid you are mistaken, my friend. That is something they inherited from me. The only thing they might learn from you is how to scare the women away."

"You are projecting again, amigo." Now that the coconut filling was finished, Panchito had made his way over to help with forming the prunes into boat-like shapes to fill them.

"You're both wrong," Donald said. "It's my skill with the ladies they have."

Panchito and José both laughed at Donald's words. Donald may have admired women, but he had never been considered a Casanova by any stretch of the word. Honestly speaking, José was usually the most fortunate when it came to the ladies, followed by the zealous Panchito. They adored Donald, but he was never all that successful at wooing girls. Daisy had been his most successful relationship.

"Speaking of luck with the ladies," Panchito began. "When do you plan to ask Daisy to, as they say in America, tie the knot?"

"I don't think we're ready for that yet."

"Donald, she will get away if you aren't careful," José scolded.

"She's been a lot more focused on her career," Donald said. "She wants to be some big deal actress. She's not gonna wanna marry a machinist."

"And why not?" Panchito asked. "It is a respectable job!"

"And you are a veteran to boot!" José added.

"Don't forget everything you have done to care for your nephews," Panchito said. "You've been like a father to them. Not all men can say they are such a good parent."

"You are a real catch, Donald," José assured him. "I bet if you ask, she will say yes."

Donald's confidence was beginning to build. José and Panchito were always masters at pointing out his finer points. Whenever self-doubt settled in, if it wasn't Daisy to help crush it, it was Panchito and José who undertook the job. Maybe he was holding himself back on this. He'd thought Mickey and Minnie had things more together, but perhaps it was just that they'd been willing to make all the moves to get there.

"Yeah." He nodded. "You're right."

"So you will do it?" Panchito had always been a sucker for weddings. Seeing a friend wed would warm the cockles of his heart, especially when he knew how dear Donald held Daisy to his heart. Donald was like a brother to him. Daisy would be yet another sister-in-law to add to the growing list he already had.

"I'll think on it." It wasn't something he could go into lightly. "After the holidays."

"That is a yes." José laughed.

Donald knew he'd never hear the end of this now, but he knew he wouldn't really mind either. At least he knew he had friends who would support him no matter what happened. He also trusted them to know Daisy's taste in rings a bit better than Mickey might.

* * *

><p>When Holly rejoined the girls in the living room, Daisy was still chatting. Donna had yet to get home from work. It wasn't a surprise that she'd been unable to get the day off; the ER never closed its doors, even on holidays. It had been something that came with the territory of being an ER nurse. While Donna had been disappointed that she was going to miss most of the pre-dinner festivities, she was too aware of how important her work was. She'd never felt as though she could complain. It wasn't as though the hospital was making them work out of some desperate bid for profit, but because someone would always need medical assistance.<p>

"Where are the kids?"

"Hm?" Daisy looked over at Holly. "They're outside. The girls wanted to show José's nephews around."

Holly settled into the conversation, telling the girls about the events in the kitchen. With Holly back, Daisy was free to get lost in thought. She'd taken up the brunt of the conversation in the hen's absence, but her return meant that Barbara had gotten livelier. It seemed that Barbara just needed time to warm up to people. As the hen and penguin talked, Daisy's thoughts turned to Minnie.

Her best friend had rejected her offer to come to Thanksgiving dinner. Minnie had been apologetic while stating that she and Mickey had other plans. Daisy assumed that they were visiting family of their own or had been content to spend dinner alone. Whatever the reason, Daisy had wished Minnie could be there. She enjoyed Holly and Barbara's company, but it felt as if something was missing, and it wasn't just Mickey and Minnie. There was something else that Daisy was straining to remember.

After a few seconds of trying to remember, ignoring whatever story Holly was in the middle of, it hit her. Holly and Barbara jumped when Daisy let out a loud gasp without warning. "That's it!"

"What's it?" Holly asked.

"I know what's missing!"

Holly and Barbara stared at her, Holly raising an eyebrow. "And that would be?"

"Every year, I invite Minnie to Thanksgiving dinner," Daisy explained, "But she turned me down this year."

"Oh," Holly said. "I'm sorry, buddy."

"That's not the worst part."

Barbara glanced at Holly before looking back to Daisy. "No?"

"Without her here, there is one very crucial thing missing," she said. "Minnie's white chocolate coconut sweet potato pie bars."

"Oh." Holly paused. "I guess someone will miss having that. Not me, but someone."

"Holly, this is an important part of my Thanksgiving tradition!" Daisy did not do well with change. Minnie's absence was throwing a wrench in Daisy's plans. Minnie had to have known that. Or had she not even thought about it? It was likely that Minnie's thoughts were solely on Mickey or her family which just seemed slightly inconsiderate to Daisy.

"I-If they're important, you could make them?" Barbara suggested, nervously.

"That's the problem," Daisy said. "I can't. I don't know the recipe."

Barbara shrugged. "You could call and ask her."

"Ask her?" Daisy scoffed. "Ask her?! Do you know how ridiculous-actually, that's not a bad idea. You two sit tight. I'm going to call her right now!"

Daisy exited the room to ring Minnie on her cell phone in private. When the mouse answered, she seemed highly distracted by whatever was going on. Daisy could hear Mickey's voice in the background, but she couldn't make out a word of what he was saying. Daisy gave a half-hearted greeting before cutting to the chase.

"Minnie, I needed to ask you something really important." Daisy didn't really wait for a response before she continued. "I need the recipe for you white chocolate coconut sweet potato pie bars."

"Oh… Daisy, I'm sorry."

Daisy didn't like the sound of that apologetic tone. "Sorry…?"

"It's my grandmother's recipe," she said. "I can't really give away a family recipe."

"But Minnie, we practically are family!"

"Daisy, I really can't talk right now."

"Minnie, don't–"

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Minnie said, hurriedly. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Before Daisy could protest, Minnie had hung up. Daisy monetarily pouted before she retreated to the living room where Barbara and Holly awaited her. They stopped mid-conversation to look over at Daisy. Daisy assumed Holly was doing most of the talking while Barbara listened.

"How'd it go?" Holly asked.

"She's too protective of that recipe," Daisy said. "She won't just give it to me because it's a 'family recipe.'" She added air quotes when she repeated the words family recipe. "We're going to have be a little more slick."

"Or," Holly said, pointedly. "Or we could just make something else that doesn't sound nasty. White chocolate isn't even real chocolate, you know? It's pretend chocolate for people who don't know any better."

"I'm gonna need your help." Daisy went to get her coat. "Boys! We're stepping out for a little bit! We'll be back in time for dinner."

"We didn't even agree to do this yet," Holly protested.

Panchito stepped out of the kitchen. Donald had his hands full and he'd sent Panchito out as a kitchen 'representative.' "Out? Is something wrong?"

"We just need to drop by someone's house real quick." Daisy wasn't about to reveal all of the details of what was happening. She knew that the boys would try to talk her out of her plotting. "You boys take care. Don't let Donald burn down the kitchen."

"We will do our best!" Panchito laughed. "We will watch Donald like a hawk!"

The girls started to pull their coats on. The snow had started to fall on the ground. Despite being located on the west coast – located snugly between California and Oregon – Calisota saw plenty of snow and ice. Daisy was chattering away at Barbara as they prepared to leave the house. Before they could leave, Panchito placed a hand on Holly's shoulder.

"Holly," he said. "You will have to keep a close eye on Daisy for us, yes?"

"I make no promises."

Panchito took her hand in his to kiss it gently. "We shall eagerly await your return, ladies."

Holly smiled. Panchito retreated to the kitchen to finish up dinner while Holly followed Daisy to her car. Holly glanced back at the house as they drove away. Daisy was oblivious to the exchange; she was far too focused on her mission. Fortunately, Mouseton was only a twenty minute drive from Daisy's house. Daisy spent the drive explaining her plan to Holly and Barbara who listened in silence. The roads had been cleared that morning for an uneventful drive. There was only a light powdering of snow on the roadway; the black roadway peeking out through the tire tracks of previous cars that had been there before them.

Minnie's cottage was far more saccharine than the home Daisy shared with Donna. The purple and pink home had heart accents in what seemed every crevice. Daisy had once tried to count them all before giving up. It had been the perfect reflection of Minnie's personality and success. Business at Minnie's Bow-tique had been booming, giving her the funds necessary to build her dream home. The girls stood beside Daisy's run down car to stare up at the immaculate looking home.

"Daisy, let me break down the situation." Holly had been trying to wrap her head around the whole thing. "You want us to help you break into your best friend's house because you want a recipe for something I think only you care about."

"If you're so against it, why are you here?"

Holly paused. "Touché."

"Are you sure there isn't a version of it online?"

Barbara's question was ignored as Daisy started to dig around in her trunk. "Okay, I'm going to head up to make a brief visit with Minnie and Mickey," she explained. "You two go in through the back."

"How do we get in?"

"Holly, you have to figure that out on your own," Daisy said. "Beside the stove should be a little box marked recipes. It should be in there. All you need to do is find the little card the recipe is on, write it down on a notepad and put it back before–"

"Why not just take a picture of it with one of our phones?" Barbara asked. "It'll be faster."

"_Fine_, take a picture with your phone." Daisy started toward the front door. "You two know what to do. Go!"

Daisy made her way to the door. She waited until Holly and Barbara were out of sight before knocking. When Minnie opened the door, could smell the sweet and savory aroma of Minnie's dinner cooking in the kitchen. Mickey was out of sight, but the car in the driveway was proof he was still there.

"Daisy? What are you doing here?"

Daisy enveloped her in a hug. "I had to see my best friend on Thanksgiving! It wouldn't be the same if I didn't."

It wasn't a total lie. Minnie had been a major part of Daisy's Thanksgiving celebration in years past. Having her absent now was a foreign situation. Even Donna had commented on how strange it was that they weren't going to all be together for the holidays. Daisy briefly wondered if Minnie even missed Daisy's presence or if she'd been relieved to get away from her. It was an upsetting thought.

Minnie was still taken aback. "This is certainly a surprise," she said. "Do you want to come in?"

"Only for a minute," Daisy said. Once she was inside, she could see Mickey entering the room. "Mickey, hello!"

"Hello, Daisy." Mickey sounded just as surprised as Minnie was. "I didn't expect to see you today."

Daisy hugged him tightly. "You know I had to see you both for it to really be Thanksgiving. We miss having you there!"

Mickey did smile at that. "Well, I guess Thanksgiving has been a little weird without you guys."

Daisy took a seat on the couch. "Then you won't mind if I visit for a minute?"

"Of course not," Minnie said. She took a seat beside her friend, listening as Daisy immediately began to update her friends on the goings on of the Duck family. It wasn't just a ruse to keep them preoccupied. Daisy did genuinely wish to visit with her friends. She only hoped that Barbara and Holly would move fast. She wouldn't be able to distract them forever.

* * *

><p>Holly and Barbara had hit a snag. Holly was attempting to pick the lock of the back door while trying to decipher how she'd gotten to this point in her life. She'd assigned Barbara the task of checking the windows to see if one had been left open. If Barbara found one, it would have saved them a lot more time than if they waited for Holly to figure out how to pick a lock.<p>

Barbara didn't have to much luck at first. Each window she tried was locked up tight and she was almost relieved. She lacked the backbone to say it, but she knew this was a terrible idea. Barbara cringed when she felt one of the windows budge. Despite her trepidation, she peered inside. She could see that the window led into a small sewing room that was filled with fabrics and dress forms. It was the space Minnie made her designs for the Bow-tique. Barbara slowly lifted up the window to attempt to get inside.

"Excuse you!"

Barbara jumped at the sound of a very loud, booming voice. She turned to see a cow coming toward her. Barbara could tell that she'd come from the quaint house next door; she could only assume she was Minnie's neighbor. Clarabelle Cow had caught sight of the penguin from her window. Naturally, she was going to do something about it. She wasn't about to stand by and allow one of her dearest friends to be robbed, especially not on Thanksgiving.

"What are you doing over there?" She had her cell phone in hand. "I am two seconds away from calling the police!"

Barbara was shaking. This was not a confrontation she'd been anticipating. "Forgot my keys," she blurted out. It was the only thing she could think of. "Keys. Are gone."

"Your keys?" Clarabelle kept a wary eye on the penguin. "Why didn't you just knock?"

"The game," she said. "It's loud. They didn't hear. They're watching the game. The game that is currently on TV."

Clarabelle looked her up and down as she debated whether she believed that or not. "Who are you?"

Barbara's mind raced with a million excuses, trying to settle on the least idiotic one. Every single one was more pathetic than the first. "Family."

"What?"

"Family." It was Thanksgiving and it was normal for family to be around. It was a good answer, but it was too vague. "I'm Minnie's cousin."

"Minnie's cousin," she repeated. "You're Minnie _Mouse's_ cousin."

Barbara nodded. She began to fidget. She switched her weight from one foot to the other as Clarabelle stared down at her. Oh no, she was going to see through it. She would see through her lie and call the police. Daisy would clear it up – or so she hoped – but it was never good to have to deal with the police.

After a few moments, Clarabelle grinned. "Well, in that case, let me help you out!" With one swift motion, Clarabelle opened up the window for the penguin. She stuck her hands underneath Barbara's armpits to effortlessly lift her to help her inside of the sewing room. Barbara was about to thank her when Clarabelle pushed herself through the window. "I thought I'd just come in to say hello."

Barbara's lie was spiraling out of control already. "I… Um."

"By the way, what's your name? Minnie's neglected to tell me about you."

Barbara froze. "Carol." She didn't know why she lied. This was why she hated lying. It always got out of control for her so quickly. Her nerves always guaranteed that she would start blurting out whatever lie came to mind, regardless of how unnecessary the lie was. She didn't need to give a fake name. If the police were called, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. It's not as though the police wouldn't figure out her real identity.

"Well, Carol, let's go find Minnie!"

"Okay." Barbara couldn't stop herself from trembling. "Wait, I should… Kitchen. I have. Later." Unable to come up with a convincing lie, Barbara hurried to the kitchen to finish the mission before it was too late. She hoped that she could hurry out of there before Clarabelle learned the truth.

* * *

><p>"Actually, Daisy, your timing couldn't be more perfect."<p>

"Really?"

"I was going to wait to tell you tomorrow, but since you're here, I'll tell you now!" Minnie held out her hand to show off the ring on her finger. Daisy had to squint to see the diamond embedded on the band.

"Oh… it's lovely, it… Wait." The wheels started to turn in Daisy's head. "This isn't…. Is it?"

"Mickey proposed!" Minnie giggled with excitement. "He wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner alone this year so he could propose to me in private!"

"I… Oh." Daisy could feel her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. She put on a grin for her friend, hiding the envy that was bubbling up inside of her. "Congratulations, Minnie." She hugged her friend. "I'm so happy for you both!" In spite of her envy, she did truly mean that. Had she been Minnie, however, she would have been disappointed the diamond was so small. But it was probably the best Mickey could do. He was living on a teacher's salary.

"Thank you, Daisy," Minnie said. "And you know I have to ask if you'll be my maid of honor."

"Of course I will, Minnie." Daisy smiled. "You know I could never say no."

Minnie was beaming from ear to ear. It wasn't that Daisy wasn't happy for her friend. She'd always known Minnie and Mickey were made for each other. Daisy had always hoped this day would come for her friend. Yet it was hard to fight back the conflicted feelings inside of her. Daisy had expected so much more out of life by now. Minnie had so much and Daisy had so little. Minnie had her own business and now she was about to get herself a husband. It wouldn't be long before children followed. Daisy frowned realizing how far behind she was in everything. She had no real career. She had a job, but that's all that it was – a job. She figured Donald was nowhere near ready to propose, and she wasn't about to do it. She had dreamed of being proposed to since she was girl and she wasn't about to give up on that. After the time apart, she had a feeling she'd prolonged that; she only had herself to blame for the distance that had come between them. And it was likely Minnie would beat her to parenthood at this rate. Everything was coming up Minnie.

In spite of self-pitying, she was happy for her friend. She would swallow every negative emotion to keep from ruining Minnie's time in the sun. There was no reason to ruin this for her friend, especially when she knew how important Minnie's dream wedding was. Ever since they were young girls, they'd shared their hopes and dreams. Daisy knew every detail of the wedding Minnie longed to have and Daisy would do everything in her power to give it to her. If she couldn't have a happily ever after, she wanted at least one of her friends to have it.

"Minnie!"

All three of them spun around to see Clarabelle standing a few feet away. She was smiling brightly as she came over to take Minnie's hand to look over the ring. "I cannot believe he finally popped the question! Everybody is going to love this. We have to tell everyone!"

"Whoa." Mickey held up his hands. "How did you get in here?"

"Through the window."

Mickey furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Why the window?" Minnie asked, slowly. Minnie and Mickey could only be so stunned by this; their group of friends had done far worse in the grand scheme of things. Clarabelle sneaking into the house was low on the scale of oddities.

"Carol said you guys didn't hear her knocking and she forgot her keys."

"Who's Carol?"

"Your cousin, Carol, silly!" Clarabelle laughed. "I didn't know you had penguins in your family! You need to update me on these things, I–"

"I don't have any penguins in my family."

Daisy's feathers practically stood on end. What had Barbara done? This was the last time she was going to trust her to handle these sorts of things. She lowered her head in embarrassment and shook her head. "Oh no."

"You helped someone break into Minnie's house?" Mickey was at a loss for words. "Where are they now?!"

"I think she said she was going into the kitchen." The look on Clarabelle's face was one of remorse. "Minnie, I'm so sorry! She said she was your cousin and I believed her! She was just so convincing!"

"We better find her before she robs us blind!" Mickey led the charge into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Barbara had finally gotten her phone to focus on the card so the writing would be clear. She glanced at the doorway when she heard all the commotion in the living room. Panicked, she tried to hurry to the door once she had the recipe card photo. She flung it open to see Holly still on her knees; she'd still been working on picking the lock.<p>

"So, as it turns out, I'm terrible at this," Holly admitted.

"They're coming!"

"Oh no." Holly stood up. "We're not gonna have time to get out of here before they see us."

Barbara glanced around the room. She spotted the basement door and realized it might be their only chance to get through this. They wouldn't be fast enough to run from the house before the occupants caught up to them. Grabbing Holly by the arm, she dragged her into the basement without a word. Luckily, Holly caught on quickly and kept quiet.

They had shut the door just before the others made their way into the kitchen. Mickey rushed outside when he saw the backdoor was open. He hoped he could catch up with 'Carol' who he had assumed had run outside.

"I guess I should have known you didn't have a cousin named Carol." Clarabelle shook her head. "But I thought that maybe I was just being rude to doubt her."

"Carol?" Holly whispered.

Barbara leaned in to speak into her ear. "She caught me outside and I didn't know what else to tell her."

"You lied about your name, too?"

Barbara nodded.

"Why would you lie about that?" Holly asked. "There was no reason to."

"I got caught up in the moment," Barbara said. "Lies begat lies, Holly."

"Oh my God."

Minnie looked around the kitchen for signs of anything that was missing. "She didn't steal anything." She placed her hands on her hips. "At least, I don't see anything missing and I don't think she would have had time to really look around."

"I should have known never to trust a penguin."

"Clarabelle!" Minnie scolded. Despite what Minnie believed had transpired, she wasn't about to tolerate commentary like that. "That's a terrible thing to say." She started toward the basement door. "I'm going to go get my coat and help Mickey. Maybe he's found something."

Holly and Barbara didn't realize what was happening when Minnie opened the door to the basement. She kept her warmest jacket on a hook that was just inside the basement door. Minnie froze when she was greeted by the sight of Barbara and Holly staring up at her from the stairs.

"What in the…?"

There was a long pause before Holly raised her hands to do jazz hands. "Surprise!"

Minnie stared a moment longer before glaring at Daisy. "Daisy, why are these people in my basement?"

"Minnie! How could you think I have anything to do with this? I–"

"Daisy told us to break in to steal your sweet potato pie bar recipe."

"Holly, you snitch!"

"I'm protecting myself!"

Daisy sighed. The jig was up. "Alright, it is my fault they're here."

"I had a feeling." Minnie frowned. "Care to elaborate on why they're stealing my recipe?"

Daisy hesitated. "I just wanted that recipe so that things wouldn't be so… so… wrong."

"Daisy, what are you talking about?"

"You know how much tradition means to me," she said. "Without you and Mickey at dinner, it didn't feel right. I thought, maybe, if I had the recipe, I could make it feel a little more normal. Like maybe… it'd feel like you guys were still there." Daisy shook her head. It sounded so idiotic when she voiced the thoughts in her head. "I guess it sounds a little stupid when I say it out loud, huh?"

Minnie's features softened. "I don't think it's stupid. I'm touched knowing we're that important to you."

"Of course you're that important."

"I promise you that next year, we'll definitely be with you for Thanksgiving," Minnie said. "We'll have no excuse to stay home next time."

"Thank you, Minnie." Daisy hugged her friend tightly. Daisy pulled away when she noticed Barbara and Holly awkwardly standing off to the side.

"Are the cops getting called?" Barbara asked.

"Barb, you always ask the important questions," Holly joked.

"I just want to know if I have to go to jail again."

Holly blinked. "Again?"

"No, we're not calling the police," Minnie assured her. "If I called the cops every time Daisy pulled one of her stunts, the police would probably just move in with me."

"You're the best, Minnie." Daisy smiled.

"That is not a statement you should have to make about your best friend," Holly said.

"Should someone go get Mickey…?" Barbara's voice was soft.

"This is so sweet!" Clarabelle reached down to pull Minnie and Daisy to her chest for a group hug. The boisterous laughter of the three women greeted Mickey when he came back through the back door. He watched the scene for a moment before shaking his head. He was accustomed to Daisy's antics. She could be as bad as Donald at times. Without a word, he headed into the living room. Minnie would fill him in on the details later. He wasn't sure if he would want them, but he would get them.

"Oh," Daisy exclaimed. "We should be getting home. Donald probably has dinner on the table."

"Did you still want the recipe?" Minnie asked.

Daisy shook her head. "No, you keep it. You just make sure you bring those bars with you next year. It wouldn't be the same without you there to share them with."

"You can count on it, Daisy."

She and Minnie parted on amicable terms. In any other friendship, it would have been a serious hurdle. For Minnie and Daisy, it was business as usual. With a cup of coffee in hand for the road, Daisy set out with Barbara and Holly to return home. She was sure Donna would be home by now and would question Daisy about her whereabouts.

"I feel so silly for all of this now," Daisy said.

"I'll give you one thing, Daisy," Holly said. "There is never a dull moment with you around."

Daisy had heard Minnie say that many of times during their friendship. She wasn't sure how things would be now that Minnie would be getting married. She'd be starting a family of her own soon and Daisy would definitely take a backseat to that. Daisy wondered how her life had become so stalled. It felt as though everything was moving backward for her instead of forward. With a failed career under her belt, she was living in her hometown in her sister's house at a job she didn't want to be at. But she was surrounded by people she loved. Maybe that would be enough for now.

"Should I delete the recipe off my phone?" Barbara asked.

Daisy didn't miss a beat.

"E-mail me that."

* * *

><p>"I'm going to kill her."<p>

"Do you think they're okay?" Donald asked.

"She always does stuff like this!" Donna threw up her arms. She lacked the concern Donald had. "All I wanted was one nice Thanksgiving with my friends and family, but Daisy has to just… be Daisy."

"Donna, do not worry." As usual, José was cool and collected. "She will be here. Dar-lhe, tempo."

José and Panchito had been the only ones at the table exhibit any patience. Donald had been pacing the floor, afraid that there would soon be a phone call about Daisy's demise. She was never one to miss Thanksgiving, he'd argued earlier in the evening. Her prolonged absence had him concerned. Panchito and José, on the other hand, were creatures of spontaneity themselves and sympathized with Daisy's sudden mission. It helped considerably that José and Panchito were infinitely more patient when it came to waiting for women. They had no issues waiting for three attractive women to return, even if one might not have been single.

"Mom, I'm starving." Despite the love April held for her aunt, she was not above eating before she returned. "Can't we just save some for them?"

Donna sighed. "Let's just give them a few more minutes, pumpkin."

"You must have more faith in your aunt," Panchito said. "She will be here. She is a woman of her word!"

"Are you sure you know my aunt?" April asked.

Panchito was unable to give a reply to April's question. The front door swung open to reveal Daisy. She entered the home she shared with her sister. Holly and Barbara were close behind her. Barbara kept her eyes glued to the floor as if she feared looking anyone in the eye.

"Daisy! Where have you been?" Donna rose from her seat. "We've been waiting for you!"

"Donna!" Daisy made her way over to her sister to hug her. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Donna's rage melted into confusion. "Daisy…?" Donald hovered nearby only a few feet away from his girlfriend. Daisy pulled away from her sister to look over at the table.

"Sorry we kept you waiting," Daisy said. "Everything looks so good, boys! Thank you again for cooking." Daisy turned to kiss Donald on the cheek, earning a smile from him. "I can't wait to dig in."

"Aunt Daisy, where were you?" May asked.

"That's nothing for you to worry about," Daisy said. "Let's just get to eating, hm?"

Donna watched her sister take her seat at the head of the table. There wasn't much point in prying now. She would ask her later on. Barbara headed for an open seat, but José quickly beat her there. She jumped at his sudden presence, but he kept his eyes on her as he pulled the chair out for her. Barbara nervously looked to the chair and then to José. Her eyes kept flittering to the chair and back to the parrot. She looked to Holly who had been watching everything unfold Holly motioned for her to sit while mouthing the words 'Sit down.' Barbara followed Holly's instructions. She took a seat at the table before looking back at José.

"Thank you." Her voice was barely audible.

"De nada," José said. Her awkward behavior had no impact on his mood. He took the seat beside her in hopes of striking up a conversation with her. Donna had repeatedly spurned both men and they both accepted it was time to move on from the single mother.

Holly was a bit less awkward when Panchito pulled her chair out for her. "Thanks." Panchito's flirting and upbeat personality was a welcomed addition to her hectic day. She was far more receptive to such attention than the shy penguin was.

Daisy smiled from where she sat beside Donald. She reached out to squeeze his hand gently before they settled in for dinner. "I'm sorry I kept everyone waiting."

"You're here now and that's what's important," Donald said. "But I do wanna know where you went."

"I went to see Minnie and Mickey."

"Why?"

"I was just having some trouble dealing with change."

Donald knew it was best not to question. He would bring it up later if Daisy was willing to discuss it then. He focused on enjoying dinner instead. Now that he was no longer worried about Daisy's whereabouts, his appetite had returned with a vengeance. He started eating eagerly. Everything on the table tasted delicious, especially Panchito and José's additions.

Everyone was smiling and laughing as they joked and told stories with one another. Mickey and Minnie, and the sweet potato bars, were missing, but there was one very important thing that wasn't missing. Even without them at the table, the house was filled with love and kindness, and that was enough to be thankful for.

* * *

><p><strong>Translation<strong>

Ótimo: Great!

Nossa: Wow!

Ela é linda: She is beautiful.

Dar-lhe, tempo: Give her time.

De nada: You're welcome.

I'm nowhere close to being fluent in Portuguese, so give me a shout if these are all wrong.


End file.
